Queen of Hearts
by MirrorImage27
Summary: Sae Niijima is suprised to find out how deep the enigmatic leader of the phantom thieves' leader and her sister's relationship runs. Akira, if only for a moment, reminisces. Sequel(s) added. Akira(MC)/Makoto
1. Chapter 1

***SPOILERS for Makoto's Confidant Rankings, and some general plot stuff. If you're worried, I'd say clear the 5** **th** **dungeon and come back later, the story will still be here!***

"What! I'm to believe that not only was my sister was involved with the Phantom Thieves, but that she was dating its leader!" Sae Niijima cried out in disbelief.

"Of all the things I could lie about, why this?" Akira Kurusu replied, hardly even phased by the prosecutor's reaction.

Sae gritted her teeth, knowing he had a point. "Still, Makoto's smarter than that… She would have never…" Her gaze shifted toward the high school student in an accusatory manner. "Did you 'steal' her heart as well? Answer me!"

Akira's mouth set in a hard line. "No. Never," He declared emphatically. "Makoto got involved out of her own free will, out of her own sense of justice."

Sae's eyes widened. Her younger sister had taken more after their father. And truthfully, she hadn't been attentive to Makoto very much over the past several months. Had she really missed the signs? Come to think of it, in the months following Kaneshiro's arrest, her sister had seemed happier. Sae had naively assumed that it was because her studies were going well. How could she have been so blind? Unwilling to let the matter go just yet, she pressed on, "You may not be a murderer, but your activities still call your character into question, whether the intent behind them was good or not."

"I don't think you have any right to judge my character, especially in regards to Makoto," Akira said firmly, looking as defiant as ever even bruised, bloodied, and drugged.

Sae bristled at how casually he used her first name, not even so much as a _senpai_ attached. There was a distinct note of possessiveness in his voice that years of working as a prosecutor made impossible to miss.

"As I mentioned before, Makoto was investigating us when the phishing scams starting happening at Shujin. She found us out, but thought we could help save the students that were being targeted. She was so desperate to help us that she got kidnapped and blackmailed by Kaneshiro. We ended up getting the info we needed to take him down because of her, but it was reckless and dangerous. She could have ended up dead, or worse." His eyes refocused on Sae, anger burning behind them. "Do you know what she told us when we asked her why she did that? That she had felt _worthless._ I assume you might know something about that?"

Sae flinched, recalling how she had snapped at Makoto out of frustration, saying such awful things.

"I – I never," Akira's voice cracked as his mask of composure crumbled for a moment, and Sae was struck for a moment as she recalled just how _young_ he was. Regaining his composure he continued, "I never wanted her to feel like that again… So after we took care of Kaneshiro I started talking to her. She wanted to know how regular students spent their time. She wanted to find expand her horizons outside of just studying and student council duties." Akira chuckled suddenly. "I still remember when I took her to an arcade for the first time. She got so into one of the shooting games that some of the other regulars started giving her weird looks."

Sae let out a bittersweet smile. A part of her wished she could have seen her normally stoic younger sister act like someone her age. And inwardly, the self-loathing toward herself swelled as she recalled how she had told Makoto to grow up. It had been unfair how she herself had been forced to grow up and take responsibility for both of their lives when their mother had died, but still… Makoto hadn't deserved such harsh words.

Akira continued his recollection. "Eventually, we talked about other things. Her doubts, her hopes, her dreams. She even made a friend of her own, but Makoto found out that she got involved with an older guy who seemed suspicious. Makoto set up a double date so she could scope this guy out and… she asked me to pose as her boyfriend. It turned out Makoto's suspicions were right, and although it took a while she managed to slap some sense into her friend. After that we got… closer…"

* * *

Akira and Makoto sat in the attic of LeBlanc in comfortable silence, the brown haired girl resting her head on his shoulder. He in turn, rested his head softly on hers, filling him with an indescribable warmth. To think that a few months ago, the world had seemed so unfair, but now… If such a thing had never happened, he might have never met Makoto. Slowly, he reached out for her hand, finding her fingers and intertwining them with his own.

"Akira," She murmured softly, and Akira suppressed an involuntary shiver. She had called him by his first name before, but alone in his room, it had a newfound intimacy to it. He found himself shifting his gaze downward, meeting her auburn eyes. He shifted toward her, pressing his forehead against hers. He felt her breath halt suddenly, and he smirked, the action causing his lips to ever so slightly brush against hers. It would seem he had become fond of stealing in his time as a Phantom thief, though in these moments when they were not traversing Palaces or Mementos he was content with kisses from his girlfriend, or as he had just moments ago, her breath. Feeling a little greedy today, he decided he should have both, and he pressed his lips gently against Makoto's. The student council president returned the gesture in kind, kissing back with a quiet fervor.

After a few moments, they separated, and he was greeted with the sight of Makoto pouting, a light blush coloring her cheeks. "Geez, again with the teasing," She murmured, though she didn't sound unhappy in the slightest at his antics. "Were you always so…" Makoto struggled to find a word.

"Alluring?" Akira offered cheekily. Makoto's cheeks reddened as it seemed he had been right on the mark, and she punched him lightly in the shoulder prompting Akira to laugh softly. "I had to work on it. I had to _really_ work at it, believe me, Eiko-senpai was surprisingly difficult to impress, but I had to get you that double-date somehow."

Makoto bowed her head lightly. "Sorry about that… I didn't really mind you as you were when we first started hanging out, but Eiko-chan was being insistent on my standards for a boyfriend."

Akira shrugged. "I'd say it was worth it in the end. After all, only I get to see just how cute the class prez is."

"There you go again," Makoto said, making a noise of embarrassment. "Don't tell me that all of a sudden you're going to start calling me princess."

"Never," Akira said firmly. His eyes softened, and Makoto's heart fluttered at his gaze. "After all, you're my Queen…"

The attic was quiet for a moment, as Makoto processed those words. Suddenly, she began to giggle, before pealing into full blown laughter. Even Akira couldn't help but chuckle.

"See though? Still a work in progress," Akira said good-naturedly.

"I don't think any amount of suaveness could have made me swoon for that one," Makoto replied after she recovered.

Akira's face turned contemplative. "Hmm, it seems I'll have to rethink my approach."

"I'll just have to devise a countermeasure in the mean-time," Makoto joked.

"You'll have to think fast," Akira replied, running his fingers through her hair, sending pleasant tingles down her spine, "I'm quite adaptable."

"I-it seems I'm out a disadvantage," Makoto replied, a little breathlessly. "What are you going to do?"

Akira gave a devilish smirk. "Press my advantage while I can…"

Before Makoto could formulate a response, Akira pulled her into his lap, prompting a squeal from her. "A-Akira?" She stuttered, but before she could manage a coherent response Akira began kissing her down her neck tenderly.

"Ah! A-Akira! Haha, stop that!"

But Akira did not stop, nor did he complain when Makoto made to launch a counter-offensive.

 **Ahhh! It's so fluffy I could die! Originally, I had planned to end on that 'Queen' line, but it just seemed so sappy and cheesy, I thought I could have a little more fun with this. Some might say either of these two might be OOC, but in the case of Akira, I figured that his the combination of getting speech lessons from Tora, giving scoops to Ohya, some chats with Sojiro, and his Phantom Thief (for lack of a better word) persona would translate into some real life confidence and charm. At the same time though, I think it's important to recall that he is a teenager, hence him getting emotional for a second when talking to Sae. As for Makoto, she totally has a more girlish and shy side to her judging from the scenes you can get at the school festival and taking her on a date to the Ferris wheel. Yet at the same time, she's definitely a strong and assertive character, so I'm willing to bet she wouldn't let Akira's antics go 'unpunished,' especially as she gets more comfortable with their relationship. For those wondering why the interrogation scene didn't 'come back', I intended for this to be a brief recollection during the interview, with Sae presumably telling Akira 'Hey, focus here! And get that stupid grin off your face!' shortly afterward, but it didn't feel quite right to rip right back out of the scene. Anyways, this author's note has turned quite long, hopefully you guys enjoyed the story, and I may have to write another Makoto/MC fic soon! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

***SPOILERS* For events immediately following the completion of the 6** **th** **Dungeon. I don't delve into specifics, but still if you care about that and don't want to be spoiled, turn back now.**

 **Ok?**

 **I'm talking like in the first line here guys.**

 **We good?**

 **Alright, let's get started!**

* * *

"… Latest police reports have indicated that the mysterious leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves has committed suicide shortly after his arrest. Details are…"

The newscast continued on the tinny speakers of Makoto's phone, but at that point she was hardly listening. She swallowed hard. Everything was going according to plan, right? Yet still, she couldn't shake the sudden uneasiness and fear that made its way into her heart. What if he really was… She shook her head hard. No, she had to believe in Akira. He was alive. He _had_ to be.

"Makoto?" A voice asked suddenly. "Is everything alright?"

Makoto turned around. "Ah, Eiko…" Thankfully, she had been able to patch things up with her new friend. It had been hard at first, and Makoto knew that her stubbornness didn't make her the easiest person to be friends with. "Sorry, I just spaced out for a moment there," Makoto replied.

Eiko's eyes widened as she examined her fellow third-year. "Hmm…" Suddenly, her eyes widened, and a teasing grin wrapped across her lips. "Oh, I get it. I had heard Kurusu-kun went back to his home town for some reason. Do you miss him already?"

Makoto's cheeks reddened suddenly. "T-that's not it!" Sighing exasperatedly, she went on. "I'm just… worried about him, that's all. I know it's stupid but…"

"You can't help it right?" Eiko finished. She nodded sagely. "I totally get that! Kurusu-kun seems like a nice guy, but he also seems like he attracts trouble."

If she were in a better mood, Makoto might have chuckled. Trouble was an understatement.

"It's not stupid though," Eiko said firmly. She smiled softly. "You just want to be there to protect him… like you protected me…"

"Eiko," Makoto murmured, her eyes wide.

"Anyways, maybe not today, but sometime soon, we should grab some sweets. I know that always makes me feel better," Eiko continued, sounding a lot more like her usual bubbly self.

"That sounds… good," Makoto answered, smiling back at her friend.

"It's a date then! See ya!" Eiko said cheerfully, making her way towards the school entrance.

Makoto, figuring that she should start heading home as well, went to go gather her things, when suddenly, her phone rang. Seeing it was from her sister, she promptly answered. "Hey Sis, what's up?"

"Makoto, can you meet me now? We need to talk," The elder Niijima said.

A sense of dread washed over her. "Sure Sis, what about?"

"I think you know," Sae said. "Meet me at the park, things should be quiet over there."

* * *

After they met up, Makoto told her sister everything. There was no point in denying anything anymore. After all, she had already spoken to Akira, who had likely at least given enough information to earn her trust.

"So it's all true then," Sae said, closing her eyes in contemplation. "I can still hardly believe it all. So," She trailed off, coughing awkwardly. "You and Kurusu-kun?" Makoto nodded, well past the point of embarrassment now with all of the explaining she had done earlier. "Well… normally, I'd disapprove but… as long as you're happy, that's all I'm concerned about."

"About that... Sis, is Akira… is he…" Makoto trailed off, unable to finish.

Sae smiled reassuringly at her sister. "I had to drop someone off at Leblanc before I came here. It's been a long day, I could go for some coffee. Why don't you call your friends, maybe they'd like to join us?"

Makoto suddenly hugged her sister, much to the older woman's surprise. "Sis… thank you…"

Sae chuckled lightly, placing a reassuring hand on Makoto's back. "I'm sure things will be difficult, but for now… everything's alright."

* * *

Makoto could hardly resist throwing her arms around Akira the moment she laid eyes on him. She had known because of her sister that he was alive, and she truly did believe he would succeed, but… Seeing him right now, in front of her… He really was alive. Bruised and battered for sure, but alive.

The team celebrated their brief moment of victory for a while, and Makoto's sister left after a while, but eventually Boss made to send them all home. "I think you've all had enough excitement for one night. You kids should probably start heading home. Wouldn't want to attract too much attention wandering late at night. Plus, the last trains are going to start running soon," he said.

"Alright, well lets head home team," Ryuji said. "Tomorrow, we start planning getting back at that bastard!"

Akira nodded firmly, making a noise of acknowledgement. Satisfied, the various members of the Phantom Thieves began filing out of the store, leaving the Boss, Futaba, Morgana, Akira, and Makoto.

"Hmm? Did you need something Niijima?" Sojiro asked, noting that she was the only one left who didn't live nearby. "I can call a cab for you…"

"N-No, it's fine Boss, err- Sakura-san," Makoto answered nervously. "I was wondering, do you happen to have a first-aid kit here?"

"Should have one behind the counter," Sojiro answered, his glance flickering between Makoto and Akira. He closed his eyes before nodded sagely, letting out an almost inaudible chuckle. "Help yourself. C'mon Futaba, lets head home."

"Aye aye, Sojiro! Laters guys!" Futaba answered, waving at the remaining Phantom Thieves.

Before exiting, Sojiro turned around. "Hey kid!" He began, addressing Akira. "You've had a long day, but don't do anything irresponsible, okay?" If Makoto hadn't known him so well, she might have missed the brief flickering of embarrassment that crossed Akira's features. Not that she could blame him, with her own cheeks coloring at the implications, joking or not. Seeming satisfied with their reactions, Sojiro left, Futaba in tow.

"I'll, uh, walk around for a bit," Morgana said awkwardly. "I'll…" He paused, before his expression lit up. "I'll make sure Lady Ann gets home safe!" And with that, he left Leblanc as well, leaving only Makoto and Akira.

"Do you want to go ahead and head upstairs? I'll be up in a minute," Makoto said. Akira nodded and began to go upstairs, and Makoto frowned with worry as she noticed that he seemed to favor one leg over the other. Not wasting any more time, she went behind the counter, searching briefly before locating the first-aid kit. She checked the contents: bandages, antiseptic wipes, various gels for burns and inflammation, pain-killers, medical tape, among other things. Sakura-san certainly had been prepared. Taking the kit in hand, she went upstairs to Akira's room, finding him waiting on the sofa.

"Take off your shirt and pants, please," Makoto said, doing her best to maintain an even tone despite her embarrassment at the question. Seeing Akira grin cheekily and begin to open his mouth, she quickly cut him off, "And spare me the wise-cracks," She said firmly. Akira's face became a little more serious, but silly as ever, he smiled softly as he pantomimed zipping his lips shut. It was a gesture that Makoto might have found cute, had the stakes of their plan been less dire. Wordlessly, he took off his school uniform, folding the articles and setting them aside. Makoto had turned away during the process, to preserve a little of both their modesties, only turning around only once Akira had announced he was finished.

Once she saw him, she promptly covered her mouth in horror, seeing the bruises that covered his body, the bloodied rings around his wrists where the cuffs had dug into his wrists. There was a distinctly boot shaped bruise that was nearly purple on his injured leg. And the bruises on his chest indicated that he was fortunate to not have any cracked ribs. "A-Akira… What did they do to you?" She approached him slowly, bringing her hand gently over his face. She ran her hand slowly down his face down his neck to his chest. She paused there having noticed his jaw tighten as her fingers brushed over one of the nastier bruises. She lifted her hand off his chest and gently picked up one of his wrists, just above the cuff marks. She noted a strange bruise surrounding a bloodied pinprick just below his forearm. The drug injection site, she deduced, though whether the procedure had been 'complicated' by Akira struggling or a sadistic administrator was unclear. She didn't want to ask.

She couldn't help but feel powerless. They had devised that this was the only plan that could save his life, in the process ensuring the Phantom Thieves could take down the true mastermind behind the psychotic breakdowns. Her free hand tightened, as she couldn't help but wonder, wasn't there something she could have done so he wouldn't have had to endure this? She choked back a sob.

"Hey," Akira's voice cut through her self-pity, his arms wrapping around her. "I'm okay… I'm okay…" He said gently, rubbing her back in soothing, circular motions. He was so warm… so alive. He was reassuring her in more ways than he could possibly realize. In a moment of weakness, she let him hold her despite herself.

"I'm sorry," Makoto murmured softly, as she gently pulled away from him after a few minutes. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you right now but…" She shook her head, willing herself not to wallow in negative emotions. She could do something now, if only a little. "Sit down." Akira complied, and Makoto quickly began breaking out the supplies she would need from the first aid kit, deciding to start off with the antiseptic wipes. She started with his face, dabbing it gently along each bruise, with Akira not showing any signs of pain other than the occasional lip twitch. She then moved on to his wrists, and cleaned the injection site, using new wipes and applying bandages as necessary, and as gently as she could while still making sure the wounds were cleaned.

Finishing there she moved to grab the anti-inflammatory gel for some of the larger bruises on his chest and leg. Squeezing some into her palm, she began to gingerly rub it into one of the bruises that marked his ribcage. As she continued, she felt heat rise to her cheeks as she pointedly tried to ignore that she was touching her nearly naked boyfriend. She paused her ministrations for a moment, resting her hand on his chest. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who was feeling flustered, she thought as she noted his pulse was elevated. She dared to look up at Akira's face, finding he was in a similar state, his face slightly flushed and his gaze directed away from her. Refocusing at the task at hand, she tried to ignore the fact that she felt slightly pleased about how her touch seemed to affect him.

Finishing at last, she began to rise up, "O-ok, all done, that should be- " Her voice died as her eyes met Akira's. His gaze was so intense that she reddened reflexively. Before she could even open her mouth to say something, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers with a hunger she had never felt from him before. After her initial surprise, her inhibitions melted away, and she eagerly kissed him back.

When they broke account Akira distanced himself a little bit before twisting one of his errant locks, a nervous tick of his that Makoto had become fond of as she began to know him better. "Err, sorry about that. It was… kind of hard keeping still while you…" His voiced faltered, and he swallowed, his mouth seemingly having gone dry.

"D-don't worry about it!" Makoto stammered, Akira's embarrassment amplifying her own. "I-I… I also…" _What am I saying!_ Makoto thought, her cheeks on fire at this point. "A-anyway! Y-you should probably get dressed, it's cold outside!" Makoto said, gathering the contents of the first aid kit and making her towards the stairs.

"R-right." Akira answered awkwardly, though by this point Makoto was nearly halfway down the stairs. Out of Akira's room, she put the first aid kit away and sat herself down in one of shop's booths, sighing as she sunk into it. She attempted to compose herself as her heart raced inside her chest, and even after a few minutes her results were mixed at best.

Her attempts were halted as she heard a creak from the stairs. Makoto turned around to find Akira, who was thankfully now dressed in some night-time wear. He looked toward the clock at the other end of the shop before shifting his gaze back to her. After a moment, he sat across from her, laying one of his hands on top of hers tenderly. "It's late," He said simply, and Makoto understood the implicit meaning of the statement: _What do you want to do?_ "Boss mentioned calling a cab earlier… I could-"

"No…" Makoto said, cutting him off softly. "I…" She paused for a moment, steeling her resolve. Her fingers wrapped around his, and her eyes met his. "I'd like to stay if that's okay. I… don't want to leave you alone right now, after all of this…"

"Makoto," Akira murmured, and Makoto felt his fingers tighten slightly around hers. He nodded. "Mm, I'd appreciate that." After a few moments of comfortable silence, Makoto couldn't help but yawn as the days fatigue started to weigh on her. "We should get to sleep," Akira suggested, trying and failing to suppress a yawn of his own. Makoto nodded, and the two disentangled their hands and made their way toward the stairs. Akira paused at the stair entryway, flourishing his hands dramatically. "Ladies first," He said, with his signature cheeky smile.

"Idiot," Makoto muttered though there was no bite behind it, and she began making her way up the stairs without protest. Akira followed, and they soon found themselves in the middle of the room fidgeting awkwardly.

Akira began to twist a few errant strands of his hair again. "… I could take the couch…"

"Absolutely not!" Makoto replied firmly, putting to use her 'stern student council president' voice. "Your injuries are still fresh, and sleeping on the couch would put you in even more pain in the morning."

"It's pretty comfortable, don't-"

Any rebuttal Akira was about to make was immediately halted by a sudden huff from Makoto as she grabbed Akira's hand and began to drag him toward the bed. Within a few seconds she had gently pushed him onto his bed, though admittedly Akira had barely offered even the feeblest of resistances. Makoto sat at the edge of his bed, leaning to place her hand on his cheek before beginning to run it through his unruly hair. "Geez of all the times to try and be stubborn," She muttered, though the warmth in her tone belied any semblance of chastisement.

"Hello pot, meet kettle," Akira quipped, and Makoto found herself giggling despite herself. "The unstoppable force meets the immovable object," He went on, smiling.

"You moved pretty easily back there," Makoto shot back playfully.

"I let you."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Boss said you should always know when to give it up when it comes to arguing with a woman," Akira explained.

"Smart man," Makoto chuckled.

"Still, I think we can have a compromise," Akira replied. Barely allowing a moment for Makoto to raise an eyebrow, he sat up wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

"Akira!" Yelped Makoto, as he moved to begin spooning as he shifted to fit himself snuggly behind her.

"No good?" He asked, and Makoto found herself shivering at his voice in her ear.

"It's f-fine," Makoto answered. She felt his lips move as he smiled into her hair. One of his arms reached over her waist to find one of her hands, and his thumb began to tenderly stroke the back of her hand.

His thumb paused suddenly. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Makoto replied, a little taken aback. "You were the one who had to go through…" she disentangled her hand from Akira's and gently ran her finger over the mark left by the cuffs on his wrist, "… All of this…" Her voice sounded as small as she felt at the moment. "We came up with the plan, but really, we didn't really do anything. _I_ didn't do anything…"

Akira's hand found hers again, giving it a gentle squeeze. "That's not true," Akira said firmly. "My memories of everyone, even while I couldn't think straight because of the drugs, gave me the strength to push through. Most of all though, I thought about you." His voice softened, "I thought about how I would do everything I could to get back to you…"

Makoto shifted out of his grasp, turning around to face him. "Akira…" She said softly, placing her hand on his face once more.

"Makoto… I love you," Akira said, and as Makoto looked into his eyes she knew it was true. So she kissed him. She kissed him senseless, till they were both nearly gasping for breath. To remind herself that despite everything, he was _here_ , he was _warm_ , he was _alive…_ And he was _hers._

He drew her into an embrace, and Makoto nuzzled his neck. "I love you too, Akira…" She said softly. His arms around her tightened, pulling her deeper into the embrace. At the moment the future seemed uncertain, but for now, Makoto savored the moment, however fleeting with her boyfriend. Before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep, lulled by sense of security being in Akira's arms brought. It was the best sleep both of them had gotten in weeks.

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! I had planned for this to be a quick 1-1.5k thing, but it quickly ballooned into this (I also may have gotten sucked into NG+). I wrote this because I was really hoping that romances would have more of an impact in the story and was kind of disappointed that they still are just kind of window-dressing. Dates are a step in the right direction, but hey, can you blame me for wanting a little more? Heck, not even just romances, I feel like there was so much calendar space that could have been used for interactions for more of the rest of the cast. It's a real shame since all of the characters are pretty great. Anyways, rant over, hope you all enjoyed. I plan to write a few more one-shots in the future, in particular I really want to get a White Day one shot out there sometime soon, so stay tuned!**


	3. Chapter 3

Makoto had never experienced a romantic relationship before, but she had always imagined that when she did she wouldn't be the jealous type. And under most circumstances she wasn't. However, as time went by Akira's reputation began to shift. His grades flourished, entering the second year's top ten (Makoto couldn't help but swell with no small amount of pride of her role in that), and he was gunning for the number one spot next time. He managed to mostly answer his teacher's questions correctly, and was admired by many students for being able to dodge Uchimaru-sensei's feared, laser pinpoint chalk throws. And lastly, some students, girls in particular, had begun to shift their perception on him from crazed psychopath to misunderstood bad boy. While Makoto was glad that that people were beginning to no longer speak poorly about her boyfriend, she had to admit that hearing some of her classmates talk about his appeal irked her a little. Just the other day, she had overheard two female students discussing how they wouldn't mind having the 'hot delinquent transfer student' engage in some 'extracurricular activities' with them. It bothered Makoto more than she wanted to admit, but she did her best to ignore it. After all, at the end of the day Akira was with her, and lewd comments from her peers weren't going to change that.

Thankfully current day's lessons passed by mostly without incident, and after gathering her things, Makoto began to make her way to the second floor and hopefully catch Akira on his way out and see if he had any plans for the day. She wasn't too pleased with what she found however, discovering Akira cornered by a girl. It seemed as though she was being quite pushy, with Akira looking visibly uncomfortable as he tried to dissuade her efforts at picking him up. Makoto decided to simply observe for the moment to see how he handled himself and prepare herself to intervene if necessary.

"Um, I really do have plans today. I promised my caretaker I'd help out today, and my probation officer will be stopping by to check on me," Akira said.

"Ehh, so you really do have one," The girls replied curiously. Akira grimaced, clearly realizing that his words had the opposite effect of what he had intended. "Hey aren't they supposed to make sure you're fitting back into society or something?"

"To make sure I'm rehabilitated, yes," Akira answered, appearing unsure where the conversation was headed.

"Well, wouldn't hanging out with a cute classmate be a good sign? C'mon, I'm sure your officer would be fine if you told them that."

"I appreciate the sentiment but I'm really not interested," Akira sighed, his patience apparently starting to thin.

"It would be fun! I heard you've been studying a lot with the student council president. I can guarantee you'd have a better time with me than her," The girl said. Makoto's grip on her bag tightened for a moment before she exhaled and relaxed. There was no sense in getting worked up over the ramblings of people who didn't truly know or understand her.

Akira however, appeared to be less composed contrary to his usual behavior, as his eyes narrowed and he frowned. "Leave her out of this," He said, his voice lowering.

The girl looked shocked. "No way! Do you like, actually have a crush on her or something?"

Akira was silent for a moment. They had agreed to keep their relationship somewhat discreet at school, with Akira voicing that he didn't want to give her any trouble getting into her college of choice. The decision had left a bad taste in Makoto's mouth, it felt as though she were hiding it out of shame or embarrassment when nothing could be further from the truth, but she had relented under his expression of sincere concern. But at that moment, she could tell that he was heavily debating on telling the girl off and revealing their relationship. In truth part of her wanted him to. But the last thing Akira needed was to get in trouble over something like this. She had to act quickly, it looked like Akira had resolved himself to say something. "It's more than that. She's… my-" Akira started.

"His girlfriend," Makoto finished, deciding to enter the fray at that moment.

"Makoto!" Akira said, looking at her in surprise.

"Niijima-senpai!" The other student said, also shocked at her sudden appearance. Internally, Makoto was pleased at her reaction. She had predicted that the girl likely wouldn't have the guts to say anything to her face. She was still student council president after all.

"Come on Akira, you wouldn't want to upset Sakura-san now, right?" Makoto said, completely switching gears into a saccharine 'ideal girlfriend' voice.

"Right!" Akira replied a little awkwardly, still apparently surprised by the turn of events. Makoto brushed past the girl and slipped her hand into Akira's, leading him toward the stairwell until they began to walk side by side down the hall.

Passerby began to murmur as the scene unfolded.

"Woah, they're totally on first-name basis!"

"She knows the person he's staying with? Just what kind of relationship do they have?"

"Thanks for the save back there," Akira said under his breath. He frowned, "Sorry you had to get involved but it was probably for the best, I'm not sure I would have been as nice in my declaration."

"Don't worry about it," Makoto said, and she couldn't help but smile slightly at his fierce desire to defend her.

Akira nodded. "Let me return the favor, let's go to Leblanc, I'll make you some coffee and even throw in some curry a little later."

Makoto looked over her shoulder back at the very miffed girl they had just left. "No need, you can pay me back in just a moment." She was tired of tip-toeing around, and by that point people would start to talk about them sooner or later. It may as well be on her own terms.

Akira raised an eyebrow at her playfully. "Really? What did you have-"

Any further retort was silenced by Makoto unceremoniously pulling Akira into a kiss. She pulled away after a brief moment, and while Akira was still stunned, she turned back and glared back at the girl, sending a clear message. _He's mine._ She couldn't help but smirk as she turned back around, noting that girl had been gawking at her in open mouthed disbelief.

A chuckle from Akira interrupted her victory. "I would have never pegged you for the vindictive type," He joked.

"Well what can I say? I'm still expanding my horizons," Makoto said innocently. The murmurs around them grew louder. "On second thought, I could really go for that coffee."

Akira smiled at her. "You got it."

* * *

After arriving at Leblanc, Akira had sent her upstairs while he began to prepare some coffee for each of them, since the shop was technically still serving customers. After a few minutes, Akira came up with two steaming cups of Leblanc's signature coffee, and they both sat down on the couch. Makoto flushed lightly as she noticed that he had left a cream heart in her cup. She breathed in deeply, savoring the aroma for a moment before carefully taking a sip. As the rich coffee warmed her body, she slowly felt the day's frustration's melt away.

"Sorry about earlier," Makoto said softly. "I'm not sure what came over me. I know you were trying to keep us quiet for my sake, but I just couldn't stand it anymore. I don't care what anyone thinks or says."

Akira gave her an affectionate look that warmed her up more than any cup of coffee ever could. "It was a dumb idea anyway. I guess I just wanted to do what I could to bring you that much closer to your dream."

"Akira…" Makoto murmured. She shook her head. "Without you I wouldn't even be at square one… I would have just blindly followed the path my sister laid out for me."

Akira shook his head. "It might have taken a little longer, but I think one day you would have discovered your desires and convictions and begun acting of your own accord."

"I appreciate the faith," Makoto said, chuckling softly. Looking into his eyes she continued, "Still I'm glad I met you and that you were there to facilitate the process."

Akira smiled. "Yeah, me too." For a moment they sat in comfortable silence, each taking a sip of coffee every now and then. After a while, Akira spoke once more. "Well, with our display today I'm sure the team will figure things out soon."

Makoto grimaced slightly, as it occurred to her that while everyone would likely be supportive, they would likely poke fun at them every for it both in their adventures in the Metaverse and the real world. "Sorry…"

Akira placed a hand on her back reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. A tease or two never hurt anyone. You can attest to that right?"

Makoto shot him a glare, eliciting a chuckle from Akira, before changing the subject. "Still, in hindsight I feel like I might have been a little overbearing," Makoto muttered, starting to feel self-conscious. Her inexperience with such matters made her unsure how to handle them, leaving Makoto to constantly wonder whether she was doing the right thing.

"It made me a little happy, seeing you like that," Akira said reassuringly. "Plenty of guys talk about you too you know?"

"Really?" Makoto replied, dubious.

"Yeah, every now and then," Akira confirmed. "I'd been debating whether I should just go like," His expression shifted, and Makoto immediately recognized that he was now Joker. "Hey, that's my girlfriend you're talking about. Back off." His voice was low, but smooth and controlled, and Makoto couldn't help but suppress a shiver. His expression reverted back to regular Akira, and he grinned at her devilishly. "I didn't think you'd beat me to the punch."

Makoto flushed, then thought back to her high school experience. "Now that you mention it, I guess I have been approached by a few boys over the years. I guess I always knew what they were really interested in, and it wasn't my personality."

"No accounting for poor taste," Akira quipped.

"Flatterer," Makoto chuckled, shoving his shoulder lightly.

"I'm serious though," Akira laughed. He looked into her eyes. "Smart, strong, brave, kind, and caring. But you recognize you don't have it all figured out, but keep trying to find your own way, instead of just stagnating. Not everyone is that strong." He grinned at her again, and Makoto knew a tease was coming, though likely an affectionate one. "All that but I can still make you blush when I tell you I think it's cute that you're more pumped to see the latest yakuza flick than I am, when just the other day you were kicking ass in the Metaverse." He looked like he was about to continue, but then paused for a moment. "And also…"

"Also?" Makoto asked, urging him to continue. Admittedly, she was always curious what drew her to him, and she didn't want to miss the chance for more insight.

Akira began twisting some strands of his hair, which intrigued Makoto. He was nervous about something? Embarrassed maybe? "Never mind, it's nothing."

Makoto raised an eyebrow at him. "Come on, you can tell me. You don't have sugarcoat it, I won't mind."

"It's nothing bad…" Akira sighed exasperatedly, clearly becoming more flustered, which only served to make Makoto even more curious. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. "It's just… whenever you go all 'Queen' on someone, I find it really, really attractive."

Makoto's cheek's heated up suddenly. "What?! Really?"

"Y-yeah," Akira replied a little awkwardly.

As Makoto's embarrassment died down a thought occurred to her. Akira could tease her to know end, and until now, she had for the most part lacked the means to pay him back in full. But this, maybe she could use this. As she continued sipping her coffee a plan formulated in Makoto's mind.

After a few moments she set down her mug, prompting Akira to look at her curiously. Suddenly she pressed an arm over his shoulder, effectively trapping him between the couch and her.

"Makoto?" Akira said, clearly confused as to what was going on.

Makoto began leaning toward him, before reaching out with her free hand to take off his glasses and set them aside. Leaning into the side of his face, she spoke into his ear. "So, you like this sort of thing?" She said in a low voice, her 'Queen' voice. His breathing hitched, and internally she fist-pumped as things seemed to be going according to plan. She shifted back to where she could see his face, setting her free hand on it. The brushed her thumb over his cheek. His lips. As far as she could tell, Akira was completely under her spell. Normally she would smirk but this… this…

"This is so embarrassing!" Makoto said, as she suddenly retreated, resuming her previous position of sitting next to him and shifting her gaze away from him.

Next to her, she heard Akira exhale loudly. He sidled up next to her after a few moments, and Makoto found herself instinctively resting her head on his shoulder. "You almost had me there," He teased.

"Oh I'll get you some day," Makoto answered, and Akira chuckled at the firm conviction in her voice. Suddenly and idle thought popped into Makoto's head. "Akira?"

"Hmm?"

"Do I also… affect you whenever we're fighting in the Metaverse?"

"Uhh…"

"Akira!"

 **I feel like this one-shot is a little weaker than the others, (particularly the last one) but I'm not sure where I could make changes without basically doing some more major retooling. I had initially planned to publish this one-shot last week, but something just felt off about it. So I've been tweaking it over the last few days, cutting out some exposition that added nothing, adding more dialogue, and just overall conveying the final scene with more nuance and sincerity to further flesh out the relationship between Akira and Makoto (with a bit of humor at the end, of course). At least that was the goal, though as I mentioned before I still wouldn't say I'm super happy with this one, but that may just be my self-consciousness talking. So with that in mind, any constructive criticism you all might have would be greatly appreciated! Anyway hope you guys enjoyed! I was going to write a little omake for reactions from the rest of the Phantom Thieves but it turned into something longer than I expected, and I'm having a lot of fun with the rest of the cast. Expect something more from me soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: I apparently no longer capable of writing short, stop-gap chapters. Sorry for the wait.**_

 **1\. The Guys**

 _Ryuji: We need to have an emergency meeting as the men of the group!_

 _Akira: What's up?_

 _Yusuke: I admit, I am at a loss as well. Do explain, Ryuji._

 _Ryuji: It's nothin serious just some guy talk_

 _Yusuke: If this is another attempt to aid you in your efforts to woo a member of the opposite sex, I must decline. I'm in the middle of finishing a piece._

 _Yusuke: Not to mention that undertaking such a Sisyphean task would yield poor, if any results._

 _Ryuji: Sis-what?_

 _Akira: He's saying it'd be impossible to get girls to like you_

 _Ryuji: Shaddup!_

 _Ryuji: Anyways, that aint what I'm talking about._

 _Ryuji: Just meet me at the ramen place in Ogikubo_

 _Yusuke: And if I refuse?_

 _Ryuji: I'll treat you. Just don't get crazy with your order._

 _Yusuke: I shall begin preparing for my departure immediately._

 _Akira: I guess I'll see you guys in a bit_

 _Ryuji: Alright!_

 _Yusuke: Ryuji? I may also require you to cover my train fare…_

Akira found himself sandwiched between two of his now closest friends at Ogikubo's renowned ramen restaurant. The place was as packed as always, the three of them just barely managed to cram into some seats. Akira's own bowl sat in front of him, just served by the cook, its broth steaming tantalizingly. "Thanks for the food," He murmured under his breath, breaking apart some chopsticks and moving to dig in.

"Man, this place is the best!" Ryuji exclaimed, proceeding to loudly slurp some noodles.

"I must agree," Yusuke said. "Such depth of flavor from such a seemingly simple dish is truly remarkable."

"Surprised Morgana didn't tag along," Ryuji said between mouthfuls. "Figured he'd want to get in on this too."

"He said he didn't have any interest since 'Ryuji could hardly be called a monkey much less a man, this will-'"

"You don't have to keep going man," Ryuji said, rolling his eyes. "Damn cat, like he'd know what being a guy is really like."

"Plus he's not really a fan of ramen. Cat's tongue and all," Akira explained.

"Man, forget the cat!" Ryuji said, waving his hand dismissively. His eyes gained a mischievous glint. "We got more important matters to discuss! There's been some rumors goin' around the school…"

 _Oh boy, here it comes_ , Akira thought, sighing slightly and setting down his chopsticks.

"Seeing as it is unlikely such a rumor reached Kosei, I would appreciate it if you would elaborate," Yusuke said in between bites of ramen.

"You see, everyone's sayin that the other day, this guy," Ryuji gestured toward Akira, "Was sucking face with our very own class prez!"

"You are referring to Makoto, yes?" Yusuke asked, cocking an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yup," Ryuji replied, with a grin that nearly split his face in two. "Sooo? What's the deal man? Spill it!"

"It's true," Akira said simply. He had no reason to lie, after all.

"Yeah I didn't think- wait what!" Ryuji said, nearly dropping his chopsticks.

"What is your relationship, if you will pardon my asking?" Yusuke asked, seeming more curious than surprised.

"We've been dating for a little over two months now," Akira answered.

"Two months!" Ryuji counted his fingers a few times, doing some mental math. "Wait so, during the class trip to Hawaii… you were with her!" Akira nodded. "Aw man! I thought you might like her after Ann asked what kind of girls you like, but I wouldn't have guessed…" He paused for a moment. "Wait a minute. Dude, why didn't you tell us?"

"It never came up?" Akira offered awkwardly, his answer sounding more like a question than an answer. Truthfully, he was hoping that his line of questioning wouldn't come up. It wasn't that he didn't trust his friends, in fact, he trusted each of them with his life. But, at the time it _had_ seemed like a decent idea. He and Makoto in the beginning were still sorting out their own feelings for each other, and they had wanted take it at their own pace without the rest of the Phantom Thieves hovering over them, as good intentioned as their actions might be.

Ryuji raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "That's seriously lame dude," He said dubiously, unaware of Akira's internal logic.

"For once I agree with Ryuji," Yusuke agreed.

Ryuji glared at the young artist. "Why does every damn one of you always have to say 'for once?' You could just agree ya know!" Shaking his head he gave Akira probing look.

"I just… wanted to keep it quiet for a while. I didn't want Makoto to have any trouble getting any letters or recommendation or for bothersome rumors to start around her," Akira explained, giving the justification he had come with later on during their relationship. They deserved to know that much.

"I guess I sorta understand that," Ryuji said, scratching the back of his head and shifting uncomfortably. "The rest of the school's been pretty rough to you, huh?"

"I understand. Ryuji and Ann are hardly the most discrete individuals amongst our friends," Yusuke said, having drawn his own conclusion, and Akira was glad that the artist was able to fill in the blanks himself, though with a little less tact than he would have hoped. Ryuji gritted his teeth but didn't respond. "So, what changed?" Yusuke asked.

"The other day someone in our year started hitting on me," Akira began.

"Dude…" Ryuji sighed, his tone clearly envious.

"I was trying to let her down gently, but she wouldn't back off. I was about to just leave when she starting mouthing off about Makoto," Akira continued.

"I imagine that was upsetting," Yusuke said sympathetically.

Akira nodded, frowning slightly as he recalled the incident. "I don't know what I would have done if Makoto hadn't showed up. She told the girl we were dating point-blank and… you know the rest."

"Wait, so _she_ started it?" Ryuji asked incredulously. Akira replied in the affirmative. "So…" Ryuji began, grinning ear to ear. "How far have you to gone?"

"That's none of your business," Akira replied firmly, instantly shutting down that line of inquiry. He was willing to admit that it was a little messed up that pretty much the whole school knew about he and Makoto's relationship before his actual friends, but beyond that the more intimate parts of their relationship were going to remain private.

"Aw come on man, give me something here!" Ryuji complained. His eyebrows arched mischievously. "Is she… aggressive, when y'all are alone?"

"Ryuji…" Akira said warningly, hoping it didn't show on his face when he recalled a few incidents of Makoto's… competitive streak.

"Capturing such passion might make for a wonderful painting," Yusuke pondered.

"Not you too," Akira sighed exasperatedly, as his friends looked at him expectantly.

 **2\. The Girls**

 _Ann: Hey what are you guys up to?_

 _Makoto: I didn't really have any plans today_

 _Ann: Futaba?_

 _Futaba: New game. Busy._

 _Ann: Come on, we should all go out! Just us girls!_

 _Makoto: I'm not opposed to that_

 _Ann: Yeah! It'll be fun! C'mon Futaba!_

 _Futaba: This isn't the Futaba you're looking for_

 _Ann: ?_

 _Ann: I don't really get it, but you're saying no right?_

 _Makoto: I believe so._

 _Ann: We can go anywhere you want! My treat!_

 _Futaba: …_

 _Futaba: Anywhere?_

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting China Town," Ann said after placing her order. "Then again, I'm not sure my wallet would have survived another sushi run," She laughed.

"It was pretty expensive," Makoto agreed, recalling their celebration after stealing Kaneshiro's Treasure. She hadn't expected China Town either, though then again, not many were able to predict Futaba's whims. Makoto had gone herself with Akira before, though not the restaurant they were currently in. It would be interesting to draw some comparisons.

"Just ate sushi with Akira and Sojiro the other night," Futaba answered. "Plus this zone has some shops with some ~awesome sweets." The red-haired girl had been apprehensive about going anywhere after realizing Akira wouldn't be with her, but with a little help from Ann, Makoto had been able to reassure her that it would be okay. The red haired girl had murmured something about a 'promise list' before hesitantly agreeing. She seemed to be fine for now, thanks to Makoto working with Ann to shoo away any pushy guys, and once they had made their way to the restaurant they had carefully chosen a more isolated portion of the seating area.

"Now you're speaking my language Futaba!" Ann replied excitedly. "Speaking of talking, I figured we could do some girl talk while we're out here."

"Not interested," Futaba answered, quickly shooting Ann's suggestion down.

Ann pouted, but didn't press the issue further. Futaba did always march to the beat of her own drum, after all. "What about you Makoto?"

"I don't mind, but I might not be the most fun person to talk to about such things," Makoto replied sheepishly, attempting to deflect. She had been anticipating this line of questioning for a while now but knowing how interested Ann was in such topics there would no doubt be an endless barrage of questions, a few of them likely to be mortifying. She had hoped to put _that_ off for a little longer.

"Oh really?" Ann said, raising an eyebrow. "Even with the rumors about you and Akira floating around?"

 _Here we go…_ Makoto thought, steeling herself.

Futaba perked up suddenly at the mention of their leader's name. "Rumors? Akira?"

Ann opted to fill her in. "I heard a lot of people at school talking about how they saw Makoto kissing him in the middle of the second year floor!" She explained excitedly. She readdressed Makoto. "So, so? Are you two dating?" She asked, her voice dripping in anticipation.

Makoto relented, the cat was out of the bag. "Yes, for about two months now."

"Oh, I'm so happy for you Makoto!" Ann replied, squealing with hardly suppressed excitement. Futaba began typing furiously on her phone. "So, what's it like?" Ann asked curiously.

"It's… nice…" Makoto said. Honestly she wasn't sure how to put the emotions she felt into words… without saying one or two embarrassing things, at least.

Ann smiled slightly, but looked dissatisfied. "That's good! But come, on give us some juicy details!"

"J-juicy?" Makoto stuttered. She did not like where this conversation was heading.

"What do you want Ann?" Futaba asked suddenly, grinning wickedly. "Texts? Emails? Voicemails? Pictures?"

"H-hey! Those are supposed to be private!" Makoto shouted, her face reddening.

"Oooh, show me something from around when they first started dating!" Ann said excitedly.

"Ann! Don't encourage her!" Makoto cried. Who knew what they might stumble upon?

"Got something! A picture from the class trip to Hawaii," Futaba said triumphantly. She passed the phone to Ann, who wriggled out of the way of Makoto's attempts to snatch the phone away from them.

"Aww, you two are so cute! You can totally tell that you had just started going out!" Ann cooed, revealing the picture to Makoto: A selfie of the two of them on the beach under the gentle light of the sunset. Makoto was smiling shyly, and even Akira's trademark smirk was nowhere to be seen, just a simple, serene smile playing at his lips. She handed the phone back to Futaba, much to Makoto's relief. "Alright, that's enough, we shouldn't snoop too much," Ann said.

"Are you sure? I could send you an archive of all this stuff…" Futaba offered, grinning mischievously.

"Nah," Ann declined. "Those things aren't meant for us," She said, chiding the younger girl gently.

"Where's the fun in that?" Futaba mumbled, shifting her gaze downward.

"Well we're friends right?" Ann reasoned. "Friends respect each other's privacy with these sorts of things you know?"

Futaba glanced away shyly, but Makoto didn't miss the slight smile on the younger girl's face. She knew from her own personal experience first joining the Phantom Thieves how gratifying it felt to be able to count on each member both in and out of the Metaverse, as a team mates and friends. Their 'work' both fostered and required an implicit degree of trust, but it was nice to put a name out loud to the comradery they all shared.

"Besides, I'm sure Makoto will tell us a few thing if we're nice about it? Right Makoto?" Ann said.

Makoto could only sigh as the blonde began asking all manner of questions about her relationship.

 **3\. The Boss**

Sojiro Sakura turned his eyes up at the sound of Leblanc's door chime ringing. His hopes for a customer were quickly quashed when he set eyes on his current ward, Akira Kurusu. Sojiro still didn't know what kind of mess the kid had gotten himself into to end up on probation, but he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, and took to helping around the shop like a natural, whether it came to making coffee, cleaning dishes, or making small talk with the shop's few regular patrons. A wry smile made its way on the older man's face. If the kid kept up at this pace he'd be able to open his own shop and put him out of business in no time. That was all without mentioning what he had done for Futaba. He might never say it out loud, but he would always be grateful for to the kid for breaking her out of her shell. Couldn't have him getting uppity on him now, after all.

"Hey kid, help out with the dishes will you?" Sojiro said gruffly.

"Sure thing boss," Akira replied, popping upstairs to drop off his bag before heading back down and tying on his apron. Within moments he began cleaning the day's dishes with careful precision. Within a few minutes he was finished, letting out a content sigh.

Sojiro set a freshly brewed cup of coffee in front of the boy. "Thanks for helping out."

Akira nodded appreciatively, holding his cup in his hand for a second to enjoy the aroma before having a small sip. The youth closed his eyes as he processed Leblanc's signature flavor profile, and Sojiro couldn't help but feel pleased with himself at the small smile that made its way on the teen's face. Suddenly a loud chirp interrupted the moment, and Akira carefully placed his cup back on its saucer before reaching into his pockets for his phone. Sojiro watched carefully as Akira's face lit up upon finding the sender of his message, the teen chuckling softly as he typed out a response.

Sojiro, being a man of experience, knew the look of charmed man. Akira had been acting a little differently for a while now, and the older man had had his suspicions (the kid had brought a few girls around the shop with his friends) but now he was sure. Sojiro smirked slightly. _Well I'll be, the kid's got himself a girlfriend._

"So," Sojiro began, "Who's the girl?" Sojiro barely suppressed a chuckle as Akira fumbled his phone, nearly dropping it.

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, to his credit keeping his voice level. Even so, this time Sojiro allowed himself to chuckle out loud this time.

"I've been around, and I know the look of a guy who's got it bad," Sojiro teased.

Akira rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You remember Makoto Niijima, right?"

Sojiro did. Sharp girl. Pretty too. Sojiro raised an eyebrow, "What happened to being just friends?"

Akira began twisting a few strands of his hair. "Technically, we _didn't_ start dating till after that."

"Mhm," Sojiro grunted knowingly. "So, is she coming by the shop later?"

Akira nodded affirmatively. "Today was… tiring. Everyone else found out about and they were pretty insistent about getting details," He grimaced.

"Lots of boys your age would kill for that problem," Sojiro said. "Like that knucklehead friend of yours."

Akira couldn't help but laugh about that. "Yeah…" A serene look made its way to his face. "I'm… very lucky."

"Save the sappy stuff for later Romeo," Sojiro sighed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He didn't know how to react when the kid was being so sincere instead of making some snarky remark. "And remember to lock up the shop," He went on, as he took off his apron, gathered his things and made his way toward the door. "And make sure you walk back her to the station at least, you hear? Even a punk like you can manage that right?"

"Will do, Boss," Akira replied, and Sojiro gave a casual wave of farewell on his way out. On his way down the street back home, he found himself smiling again. If he had looked back on the way out, he would have found Akira smiling too.

 **4\. The (Totally Not A) Cat**

With Sojiro out for the night and Makoto on the way, Akira headed behind the counter. Creating a makeshift blend of leftover beans from the day, he got to work roasting them. As he worked, Morgana emerged from upstairs and hopped onto the countertop, his ban from the shop lifted with the store closed for the day.

"So, how was your day?" Akira asked.

"I mostly just watched your rentals," Morgana replied in a bored tone. "I tried out one of those… video games that Futaba is going on about." He sighed. "Kinda hard to work that controller thing with just paws."

"You could have tagged along," Akira said good-naturedly.

Morgana turned away from him, in what Akira approximated was apprehension. "Yeah… I wasn't feeling up to it. Plus, Ryuji's voice is really grating on the ears. And though ramen sounds good, cat's tongue," Morgana asked, looking downcast. He looked up at Akira. "I wonder if it would be different as a human?"

"Not sure," Akira answered. "Some humans are also are sensitive to temperature."

"Is that so?" Morgana answered, not really seeming interested. He looked back at Akira. "Makoto's coming over right? I overheard you and Boss." Seeing Akira's nod, he continued. "I can go for a walk, if it'd be better if I'm not around…"

Normally Akira would appreciate the consideration, but something about his friend's phrasing bothered him. He'd noticed Morgana acting differently than normal since Futaba joined. "Is something wrong?"

Morgana suddenly looked surprised. "W-what? What are you talking about?" He puffed himself out. "I'm giving you a hand here, that's all! I'm expecting the same treatment once I become human and get… you know!" Morgana stretched and began making his way toward the door. "I'm fine, really. Though if you want to make it up to me, I wouldn't say no to some sushi…"

"Done deal," Akira chuckled. He wasn't totally convinced that Morgana was okay, but he hoped that when the time was right, he would confide in him.

"I'll hold you to that," Morgana said, laughing a little. "And don't do anything weird in our room, I have to sleep their too!" He teased, and before Akira could retort, the shop's chime sounded and Morgana was gone.

 **5\. The Aftermath**

The chime sounded through Leblanc as Makoto stepped inside. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. _What a day…_ She scanned the shop for Akira, finding him busying himself behind the counter preparing some coffee. He looked up at her for a moment, giving her a smile and small wave.

"Take a seat, I'll be wrapping up in just a sec," Akira said, putting the finishing touches on the cup he was preparing.

Makoto obliged, letting out sigh as she slid into one of the well-worn in booths of Leblanc. "Where's Morgana?"

Akira chuckled. "He excused himself. With the promise of sushi of course." Within a few moments he joined her, mugs on saucers in hand.

"You're spoiling me," Makoto chuckled. "Won't Boss be upset with you?"

"He can take it out of my paycheck," Akira replied, smirking.

Makoto raised an eyebrow at him. "…Boss doesn't pay you though…"

"Case in point," Akira said, taking a sip of his coffee with a casualness that suggested that, in his mind, the matter was closed. Makoto couldn't help but giggle, resulting in an upturned lips from Akira. "Besides, I think he'd support the cause."

"The cause being?" Makoto asked, smiling as she played along.

"Serving the best cup of coffee in Tokyo to my girlfriend," Akira said nonchalantly, causing Makoto's cheeks to flush a little. He looked thoughtful for a moment, completely oblivious to her embarrassment. "Well… pretty close to the best. I'm not quite at Boss' level yet," Akira went on laughing. He took another sip of coffee. "So? How was it on your end?"

"Things were fine, at least after Ann convinced Futaba to not archive all of our private data," Makoto said.

Akira rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sounds like you had the worst of it then. Other than Ryuji's… 'curiosities' it wasn't so bad for me."

"Thankfully Ann didn't really press into anything too intimate," Makoto said in relief. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to handle a bawdier inquiry from Ryuji. It was probably better for his sake that she wasn't there, Mementos kept her aikido skills quite sharp after all. "I'm not sure how I would have reacted if she had gone there," Makoto mused out loud, sipping some of her own coffee and reflecting on the day's events.

"You know, everyone's questioning today made me realize something…" Her gaze shifted back to Akira. "You don't really talk about your life before coming here that often."

Akira's face darkened a bit. "Yeah…" He trailed off.

His reaction prompted Makoto to backpedal. "Y-you don't need to tell me about it or anything but… I feel distant from you sometimes because of that…"

Akira's face looked pained for a second, but he quickly collected himself. His mouth set in a firm line. It reminded her of the expression he would make whenever they faced a particularly difficult foe. An unwavering figure of strength for all the Phantom Thieves to rally behind. If he ever had any doubts or fears he kept them to himself.

Makoto's eyes widened. _Himself?_

Akira's voice interrupted her train of thought. "It's in the past. It doesn't bother me now." He sounded far away, despite being in arms reach.

"You don't have to tell me," Makoto repeated again softly. "But don't shut me out Akira," She pleaded.

Akira's gaze shifted downward. "I guess it'd only be fair, since you told me about your past…"

"That's not what this is about!" Makoto said, a little more emphatically than she intended, prompting Akira to wince slightly. She took a deep breath, calming herself down. She didn't want him to misunderstand. "This isn't about fairness or give and take. I told you about those things because I wanted to… because I felt like if anyone could understand what I was going through it would be you… It made it easier, having someone there just to listen while I was trying to figure things out."

She smiled at him affectionately. "I got a little more than I anticipated but… I couldn't be happier." Akira twisted some strands of his hair, and Makoto didn't miss the slight red dusting his cheeks. "I just want you to know that, if you ever feel like sharing, I'll _always_ be willing to listen." Makoto reached across the table for his hand, intertwining her fingers in his. Her voice softened. "It can't be easy, having gone through everything you have, leading us all, and still keeping things together at school. You don't have to put on a strong face all the time, especially not for me." She looked him squarely in the eyes. "I'll always believe in you, everyone will. But we're here for you too you know? _I'm_ here."

He squeezed her hand gently, and Makoto smiled. She knew then, without words, that he did understand. For a moment they sat in comfortable silence, until Akira's voice broke it gently.

"I was pretty normal, stayed in my lane and kept to myself usually. I would usually stay at school pretty late. Really I'd do anything to get out of the house…" He paused, and Makoto waited patiently for him to continue.

"My parent's relationship had gotten a little… rocky. My mom was a dedicated career business woman, super driven. My dad… he also worked in business but he kind of just went with the flow. He was soft spoken and kind, but my mom couldn't stand how he wouldn't push as hard to advance as she did."

Makoto couldn't help but think about how Akira's mother sounded like how Sae had become in recent years. A woman pushing herself to the brink to succeed in an environment dominated by men. She shook her head, she needed to focus on Akira now.

"W-when I…" Akira's voice shook and he closed his eyes and paused, and Makoto squeezed his hand comfortingly. Clearing his throat we went on, "When I was arrested and my parents came to visit me, my mom was yelling at me, saying that I would ruin reputation, her career once the news inevitably got out, even after I tried to tell her I was innocent. My dad tried to stop her, and at that point she lost it. She yelled at him too for a little while and stormed out. My dad… he kept apologizing to me for a while… then he left too. Last time I saw him before I came here, he told me that my mom had moved back in with her family…"

Makoto's heart clenched painfully as she absorbed the details of Akira's past. "Oh, Akira…" His expression was blank, it looked as if he was recalling those days vividly. The table between them seemed to grow wider. "Akira," She said suddenly, gentle but firm. His head snapped up suddenly. He was with her again. "Come over here," Makoto said tenderly. She scooted over to the far side of the booth. Akira moved in next to her, and Makoto patted her lap. His eyes flickered to hers for a moment and Makoto saw some lingering doubt, how he fought back against the reflex to reach for the mask of the infallible leader of the Phantom Thieves. Makoto looked back at him with warm reassurance. _It's okay._

Akira's legs hung off the end of the booth, and it would likely take a little maneuvering to extricate himself later without bumping his head against the table, but he eventually rested his head on her lap. Makoto began running one hand through his hair and resting the other on his cheek, running her fingers beneath his jawline. Akira's gray eyes found hers again as he looked up at her in wonder. After a few moments he closed them, relaxing underneath her touch. She smiled as she felt the rest of his body relax as well.

"Thank you, Makoto," He said quite some time later.

"You'd do the same for me," Makoto replied. She chuckled. "In some ways, you already have." Neither made to move, so Makoto began humming softly while continuing her ministrations until the last trains were about to roll in.

 **A/N: So I finally got to toy with interactions with the rest of the cast, so that was fun. I hope I was able to portray everyone somewhat convincingly. I feel like Futaba is probably the hardest for me, specifically trying to nail the way she talks without seeming overdone. If you noticed parallels between the guys and girls' conversation, that was intentional, hopefully it came off more humorous and less like lazy writing.**

 **In case it was unclear even with subtle narrative framing (Morgana's discomfort primarily), I tried to frame this as happening prior to Haru joining. I wanted to include her, but I feel like the game becomes a much more serious affair after the events of the fifth palace, making it more difficult to justify general team goofiness, sorry for those who wanted to see her. Moving on, the last scene was tough to write, so hopefully it went across well. I probably could have made things more dramatic, and dragged out 'the talk' until a later installment, but ehh, that's just not my thing. So hopefully I was able to accomplish my mini-goal of having at least a little relationship development between Akira and Makoto each chapter without it seeming forced or rushed. Anyways, sorry about the long overdue update! I can't promise a consistent schedule, but I still have plenty ideas rolling around, so I hope you all will stick with me.**


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